Cushioning device



Feb 3, 1953 A. E. FoRsYTH 2,627,077

CUSHIONING DEVICE Filed July l2, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOIL ALBERT i. FoRsYTH lqTToszmsfs Feb. 3, 1953 A. E. FoRsYTH 2,627,077

CUSHIONING DEVICE F1154 July 12, 1947 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

Aan [1.. Fons 9 BYLe TH Patented Feb. 3, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE n Canad Application July 12, 1947, Serial No. 760,655

l2 Ciaims.

This invention relates to seat cushions and particularly to those that are used in automobiles, public carriers and the like.

Heretofore upholstered seat cushions have usually consisted of a frame, a padded cover and interposed metallic springs. Ordinarily the springs have been helical in form and have been securely fastened to the frame in a regular pattern with respect thereto.

An object of the present invention is to make a resilient seat which eliminates the necessity for the use of metallic springs, and which is adequately suited for use in seats of various shapes and sizes and which is also capable of adjustment for any predetermined load.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertica1 section taken through ya seat embodying the present invention and showing the seat in unloaded condition; Fig. 2 is a section similar to Fig. l but illustrating the seat in loaded condition; Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the seat showing a portion thereof broken away to illustrate the interior construction; Fig. 4 is a top plan view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modiiication of the invention, and Fig. 5 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

In the form shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, the seat includes a. plurality of generally cylindrical resilient inatable elements III having hemispherical ends and each having a valve II at one end thereof for inflation purposes. The elements are disposed in side by side substantially parallel relationship and are disposed generally transversely of the longitudinal direction of the seat. Each element is engaged by rigid blocks or strips I2 and I3 which extend lengthwise thereof and are positioned to engage diametrically opposed portions thereof, the strips I2 being positioned on the bottom and the strips I3 on the top of the respective pneumatic elements.

To support the strips I2 and I3, I have shown plates I4 and I5 respectively which are rigidly fastened to the respective strips and which are held in position with respect to each other by iiexible straps I6 which extend around the outermost elements. A cover of padded material 20, such as sponge rubber may be positioned upon the plate I5, whereas the plate I4 is adapted to rest upon the usual seat support on the vehicle with which the seat is intended for use. A covering 25 of fabric or other flexible material then provides a casing for all of the parts.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a modification of the invention wherein I utilize a plurality of concentric resilient pneumatic elements designated 36 and 3l respectively, each of which is generally circular in form and is normally circular in cross-section, each being provided with an inflating valve, indicated at 39 in Fig. 5. In this arrangement upper and lower blocks, designated 32 and 33 are also circular in form and are adapted to be attached to upper and lower plates 34 and 35 respectively. This type is admirably adapted for use as a single seat where the load is largely concentrated at the center portion. In this form, as in the case of the seat illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the upper and lower plates are connected together by suitable straps 36, while the upper plate carries a padded cover 31. A covering 38 then provides a casing for all of the parts.

For best results, I prefer to use strips such as I2 and I3, 32 and 33 which have a width of about 11/2 inches where the outside cross-sectional diameter of the cushioning element is approximately four inches. I prefer also to make the cushioning element of rubberized fabric and to have the valves accessible, either from the rear of the seat as in Fig. 3, or from the bottom portion of the seat as in Fig. 5 in order that the pneumatic pressure therein may be varied to suit the convenience of the user. Each cushioning element may, if desired, be attached to the strips I2 and I3 in any convenient manner, such as by cement, although in practice the tightness of the strip I5 operates to hold the elements in position on the strips.

An advantage of the present invention is the fact that the pneumatic pressure with-in the inlatable elements may be varied to suit any predetermined load, that the load is uniformly distributed throughout the seat and that the necessity for the use of metallic springs is entirely obviated.

I claim:

1. A seat comprising an iniiatable deformable resilient element of generally cylindrical formation and having rounded ends, a valve carried by the element, strips extending longitudinally of the element and having edge portions thereof engaging the top and bottom faces of the element respectively, said strips being narrower than the diameter of the cylindrical portions of the element, a support for each set of strips, a flexible layer of material on the upper support and a covering for the layer, said covering extending around the element and strips and providing a casing therefor.

2. A seat comprising a plurality of pneumatic elements arranged in spaced relationship and each having a valve therein through which the element may be inflated, rigid strips having edge por-tions thereof engaging the top and bottom faces of the respective elements, and means connecting said strips, and holding them in predetermined operating relationship.

3. A seat comprising a plurality of resilient individual inflatable elements disposed in spaced relationship, means engaging the upper and lower surfaces respectively of said element-s, said means comprising spaced strips each being approximately the length of pneumatic elements but being substantially narrower in width than the associated element, the engagement between the strips and elements occurring along an edge portion of each strip, a covering of flexible material and a casing enclosing said material, elements and strips.

4. A seat comprising a circular resilient inflatable element, circular members engaging the element on the top and bottom faces respectively, and means connecting the members to hold them in predetermined operating relationship.

5. A seat comprising a plurality of concentric resilient hollow elements, circular members engaging said elements on the opposed upper and lower faces thereof, means connecting said members and means enclosing the elements and members.

6. A seat comprising a plurality of spaced concentric resilient inflatable elements, means engaging each element on the opposed upper and lower surfaces, a padded cover for the upper means and a casing enclosing the cover means and elements.

7. A seat comprising a pneumatic element resilient throughout and having a generally cylindrical formation and a normally circular crosssectional shape, rigid members engaging the element on the upper and lower surfaces thereof, the width of the rigid members being approximately one-fourth of the cylindrical diameter of said pneumatic element.

8. A-seat comprising a pneumatic element, annular in shape and having a normally circular radial cross-sectional shape, circular strips engaging the element on the upper and lower surfaces thereof, each strip having a width substantially one-fourth that of the outside cross-sectional diameter of the pneumatic element.

9. A seat comprising a pneumatic element resilient throughout and having a generally cylindrical formation with substantially hemispherica-l ends, a rigid strip disposed edgewise in a vertical plane and having an edge portion engaging the element on the lower surface thereof, said strip having a width cf approximately 1A; that of the outside cross-sectional diameter of the element, whereby spaces are provided on each side of the strip into which the element may expand when the seat is loaded.

10. A seat comprising a hollow inflated element, a pair of rigid members each comprising a strip materially narrower than the element, one of said members standing over the element with its under edge engaging the element adjacent the mid-region thereof, and the other member standing under said element with its upper edge engaging the element adjacent the mid-region thereof, and supports for said members.

l1. A seat comprising a plurality of inatable resilient elements disposed in side by side relationship, and each having a longitudinal bore, a plurality of rigid members each comprising a straight strip materially narrower than the resilient element and disposed in parallelism with the element and engaging it in substantially the vertical plane along the axis of the bore of the element, and means for holding said members rigidly in spaced relationship.

12. A seat comprising a plurality of concentric annular inflatable resilient elements each having an annular bore, a 4plurality of rigid members each comprising an annular strip materially narrower than the resilient element and disposed in parallelism with the element and engaging it in substantially the vertical direction along the axis of the bore of the element, means for holding said members rigidly in spaced relationship, and a casing for closing said elements and members.

ALBERT E. FORSYTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

